Almighty God and Father, keep us, we beseech thee, in thy holy protection; incline our hearts to cultivate a spirit of lawfulness and civic propriety; to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for our fellow-citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for brethren who have served in the field; and finally to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our being, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Adapted from the “Earnest Prayer” in Gen. George Washington’s “Circular Letter addressed to the Governors of all the States on the Disbanding of the Army”, June 14, 1783. Washington originally prayed that God would “incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government”.